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Aiken’s own dog whisperer helps with troubled pets and families

By Amy Banton

STAFF PHOTO BY AMY BANTON
Paulie Maclure with a few of her four-legged clients including her own pup, Snoopy, at the far right.

Paulie Maclure has always had a way with canines, and now, she’s trying to use her experience to help bring balance between dog and man inside local homes.

Maclure has recently established her own business, Southeast Dog Whisperer, to offer guidance to dog owners on how to constructively end bad behavior in their pups including separation anxiety, food aggression, anti-social behavior with humans or other dogs, obsessive or compulsive issues, house training problems, and any other negative conduct.

“All my life, I’ve had a gift with animals,” Maclure said. “Since I can remember remembering, I’ve been an animal lover but I also have the gift of reading them.”

Maclure said she has more than 30 years of experience in training or handling dogs specifically in tracking and obedience. She last worked at Harrison K-9 in Aiken, which specializes in training of advanced obedience, protection, tracking and more.

Now, rather than training the dog, Maclure said, in a sense, she’s training the owner. She spends time teaching the owner how to stay calm but to be assertive with their dog. She added that animals will feed off the energies of people like fear and anxiety, so keeping one’s cool when their dog misbehaves is key.

When working with a misbehaving dog, Maclure said she does not use any harsh corrective measures such as shock collars, and she asks for the same of her clients.

“Basically, I teach people how to take their house back and be a pack leader rather than the dog believing that it is his or her house and they are in charge,” Maclure said.

Jim Hampton, one of her clients, has two French bulldogs, a Pomeranian, a golden retriever and the occasional visit by a friend’s English bulldog.

When Mya, one of the French bulldogs, was introduced to the household, she was the provoker and wanted to be the boss of the house, Hampton said. The family was experiencing a bit of turmoil and behavior issues because of the dynamics between their dogs.

With the help of Maclure, Hampton and his wife have noticed the indicators of their canines’ needs more, he said. For example, Mya, whom Hampton describes as a “puppy wrapped in dynamite,” needs a lot of time to run because she’s filled with energy. Hampton said their household has become a lot more peaceful, and they haven’t had any more “potty” incidents.

Maclure said she offers free phone consultations, and, if someone decides to use her services, she will schedule a time that is convenient for the dog owner. Maclure prefers that the whole family be at the session, including children, so everyone can learn what steps need to be taken to create a happier household for both the humans and pets.

Maclure said she gives discounts to families who have a dog that came from the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, the Aiken County Animal Shelter or Molly’s Militia.

“The bottom line of what I do is to rehabilitate dogs and teach humans how to create a balanced environment for them and their furry, four-legged family members,” Maclure said.

For more information, visit www.southeastdogwhisperer.com, email southeastdogwhisperer@yahoo.com or call 640-8060.

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